Tommy
by Aunty Lala
Summary: It's time to pull Tommy out of the freezer, will this be the year the temporal lock opens and they finally send their frozen soldier home? But what has gotten under Ianto's skin and will Jack get to the bottom of it. Follows Bedside Manners and fits around episode 3 season 2.
1. Chapter 1

'You enjoyed that didn't you.'

'Enjoyed what?'

'Owen getting smacked by Tommy.'

'No.' Ianto grinned a moment. 'Yes. That was definitely a fantastic left hook.'

'Yes.' He looked at Ianto, his voice soft. 'Do you think it will be this year?' Looking at the box on his desk, wondering what hopes and fears were contained within.

Hands in pockets Ianto shrugged. 'I can't imagine being thawed out, every year for a single day, we prod him, ask questions and why?'

'So he can save the world of course.'

'But does he?'

Jack nodded. 'He did, or he does, he hasn't yet, but his history continues in 1918 so he might be here now but he does go back.' He looked at Ianto. 'He has to.' He rested his hand on Ianto's arm, something was bothering the man. 'We save the world every day, it's what we do. And sometimes we have to ask the impossible of others.'

'That's also what we do isn't it. So we thaw him out, Owen runs tests, I make him tea, you send him off on a play date with Tosh, then what, we put him back on ice for another twelve months.'

'It's war Ianto, no one said it would be fair.'

'But it's not though is it Jack they all die so young, out there, in here, the wars, they don't stop. But we keep going on, we keep saving a world that sometimes I wonder if it wants to be saved. If it can be saved.'

'Are you looking for a pay rise Ianto?'

He shook his head. 'No, I'm just feeling unappreciated.'

'Not by me I hope.'

'No, you show your appreciation just fine.'

'Are you sure, because we've probably got time to appreciate each other before Tosh brings Tommy back from her, play date.'

'Maybe we should get some lunch in while we have the chance.'

They started walking towards the kitchen. 'You sure I can't appreciate you just a little?'

'I could make sandwiches.'

Jack grinned. 'I'll be waiting in the bunker.'

* * *

Ianto lay tangled in Jack. He knew Jack well enough to recognise when the man needed to loose himself physically, he hadn't been the only one. 'I know what's got me thinking, but what about you?'

'At St Teilos, earlier, being there was a reminder. A memory of the cost of war measured in a million British lives. Sometimes I can forget what that was like, other times I just wish I could.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'Do you? Something has you vexed Ianto, and of course, do you really want to know?' He shook his head. 'I've lost count of how many battles and wars I fought in, of how many times I've died for your Kings and Queens.'

'What was it like?'

'Death? Or war? Your grandfather's, did either of them serve? In the last war to end all wars?'

He nodded. 'Neither of them talked about it though.'

'Come on, we should get dressed before Gwen comes looking for us.'

'What if I don't want to.'

Jack grinned at him before rolling out of bed. 'Come on, days not over yet.'

'You want me to make coffee.'

Jack smiled. 'No, I'd rather stay here too, but the world wont save itself.'

'So no coffee then.'

'Didn't say that.'

'You don't say lots of things.' Ianto muttered darkly as he reached for his clothes.

'Was I supposed to hear that?'

'No. Did you?'

Jack shook his head as he handed Ianto his tie and helped him with this buttons. 'I'd much rather be undressing you.'

'You're the one who said we needed to get dressed.'

'I can't have you running around naked, at least not in front of the others.' He kissed him lightly on the neck. 'Maybe when they've all gone for the day.'

Ianto closed his eyes as he felt Jack's breath on his skin. Wondering if there was anything he wouldn't do for this man.

'But you haven't said what's got you all glum, Ianto Jones.'

They walked towards the kitchen, the coffee machine, where Ianto did the one thing that seemed total magic to Jack, making his special blend of coffee that was uniquely Ianto. No one else ever seemed to be able to make it work. He had his theories about that. 'What is it?'

Ianto went though the mechanics of making coffee, as he considered how to answer the question. 'I was looking though the old files, with Gwen.'

'Oh yes.'

Ianto sighed. 'I, they all die so young Jack. We, all die so young.'

'Not everyone.'

'Come on Jack, lets face it, they sort of left that bit out of the job description didn't they.'

'Do you think about what your life might have been like if you hadn't gone to work for Torchwood One, in London?'

He nodded. 'Sometimes I think about it, but if I hadn't then I wouldn't be making coffee here, now.'

'Would that be all you wouldn't be doing?'

He looked at Jack out the corner of his eye. 'I don't know what my life would have been like. It's not like I can go back and make a different choice.' He handed Jack a cup of coffee. 'You probably have paperwork to do.'

Taking the coffee he grinned. 'You know I've got paperwork to do, there's always paperwork to do.' He started moving towards his office. 'Come on, you can lurk around in the background while I pretend to do my paperwork and actually write a list of things we can do latter, when we do have this place to ourselves.'

'It's Friday Jack.'

'Fine, I'll add in the things we can do at the flat too.' He grinned at Ianto. 'Come on.'

* * *

Jack hadn't finished his list when Owen called out.

'I think you need to see these readings Jack!'

He looked at Ianto. 'Looks like their play date is officially over. I'll call Toshiko, you rustle up the rest of the troops.'

'Conference room?'

Jack nodded.

* * *

Jack looked around the room, time was a funny thing, he ran backwards and forwards though it but the average person wasn't supposed to do that. Tommy knew things he was never supposed to know. Although he wasn't worried about the implications of that, time also protected itself. He would lose more of who he was now and regain himself when he went back. Tosh he could only trust to do the right thing. Even if she did tell Tommy what happened it wasn't going to change anything, he just needed to have faith.

Looking at them all he wondered why he was the one making them go off to die when he wouldn't. What if it was Ianto he was sending out to never come back... He mentally slammed the door on that idea, it wasn't going to help him do what they all needed to do. So he watched Tosh take Tommy home with her, Owen looking thoughtful and Gwen, he wondered what she was thinking some days, this was one of them. But Ianto, it was time they maybe had that conversation he didn't want to have. The one where he said he loved him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ianto groaned as he looked around. 'I don't have a clean shirt.'

'Just wear one of mine.' Jack handed him one of his dark blue shirts. 'It'll match your eyes.'

He pulled the shirt on and frowned.

'What? I like your blue eyes.' He reached over to Ianto and began unbuttoning the shirt.

'Jack?'

'Shh, the buttons are crooked and you're in a mood Ianto Jones.'

He sighed as Jack redressed him. 'It's too early.'

'I know, that's why we stayed here rather than going back to your flat at midnight. And the others will be here soon, it's almost six thirty.'

'It's Saturday Jack.'

'Yes, I noticed that.' He kissed Ianto as he started knotting the tie. 'But.'

'This wasn't what I wanted to be doing today, that's all.'

'Wedgwood?' He took the nod as a yes. 'If there's something you want I can just buy it for you, I know a guy.'

'That's not the point, I like the car boot sales and the church fêtes and jumble sales.'

'I sort of noticed, and I really like the way you reward me for going with you.'

'You are obsessed with sex Jack.'

He shook his head. 'Not really, or not in isolation any way.' He moved his hands down to Ianto's arse. 'And I'm not the only one.'

Ianto sighed softly as his cock leapt in anticipation as his arse was massaged. 'I'll accept that goes both ways, it's just. But I know.' He straightened his tie. 'We have a job to do, saving the world and all that.'

* * *

Ianto thought about what Jack had said yesterday in his office. That going home wouldn't change things for him. Allowing him to love people he wouldn't have met otherwise. He wanted to hope that included him. They had certainly made love very tenderly and gently most of the night. He'd felt loved as Jack had held him closely, whispering in the darkness. He wasn't even sure what they'd spoken about but he'd gone to sleep filled with a sense of peace. Unfortunately they'd woken early because instead of being in his flat they were still at the Hub, and they had a world to save. Again. He followed Jack into his office.

'I'll make coffee then.'

Jack pulled him into his arms. 'You always make coffee.'

'Not always, Sir. Yesterday I made tea.'

Jack rolled his eyes. 'Droll Ianto, very droll. Sometimes I think instead of saying what you want to say you make coffee instead.'

He smiled his mysterious smile before resuming his usual straight faced expression. 'This place would fall apart if I said half of what I wanted to rather than making coffee.' He smiled briefly before kissing Jack. It was one of life's kisses where hearts stopped and time stood still. Tongues duelling as lips met and moved together reminiscent of how their bodies danced and fitted together making love. Until a Liverpudlian accent interrupted them.

'Why is it always me? Oi you two, clean it up.' Owen stood there shaking his head.

Ianto blushed as he straightened his jacket, squeaking out the word 'coffee' before vanishing.

Jack just smiled at Owen as he leaned against his desk.

Owen shook his head. 'I think I was happier not knowing, I know I was happier not knowing.'

Jack shrugged. 'Cat's out of the bag now.'

'At least that's the only thing that was out this time.' He turned as a subdued Tosh and somnambulant Tommy walked into the room followed by Gwen.

'Conference room people, Ianto's making coffee.'

'Thank god, I could murder a coffee, morning Owen, Tosh, Tommy.' Gwen looked at Jack and nodded as she followed the others into the conference room.

Ianto was waiting with coffee, tea for Tommy and a plate of bacon sandwiches. Jack wasn't sure how he did it, but he had.

* * *

The day was over, the world saved, Ianto wondered how long it would stay saved this time. And Tommy had been returned to his own time line, no longer a guest of the Torchwood freezer. He was now just a memory and a file in the archives. Tosh had done what Jack did, sent someone she could have loved back to his death. Knowing his fate and asking him to go anyway. To die in a war most people alive couldn't possibly comprehend. He wondered when he would become a file in a draw, his death carved in stone and forgotten. Would there be anyone to bury him when his time came. Would Jack stand over his grave and weep.

Jack's words echoed in Ianto's mind. _I left a long time ago_... _Would you miss me. _Words dancing around as he smiled to himself. _Loved people I never would have known, wouldn't change that for anything. _He wanted to lock those words somewhere safe, somewhere where they belonged only to him. He needed those words, and the arms wrapped around him as they stood in the middle of his flat. This had been another of those days when he didn't know where he found the strength to keep doing what he did. But he did it anyway. He did it because he had to, because Jack asked him to. Because someone had to save the world.

But who was going to save him.


End file.
